US President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned late on Monday, February 13 after being accused of discussion of the possibility of lifting US sanctions on Russia before Trump took office. This was reported by Reuters.
Retired General Keith Kellogg became the acting national security adviser while Trump determines who should fill the position.
Kellogg, retired General David Petraeus, a former CIA director, and Robert Harward, a former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, are under consideration for the position, a White House official said.
Flynn had promised Pence he had not discussed U.S. sanctions with the Russians, but transcripts of intercepted communications, described by U.S. officials, showed that the subject had come up in conversations between him and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyev.
Such contacts could potentially be in violation of a law banning private citizens from engaging in foreign policy, known as the Logan Act.
"Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the vice president-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador. I have sincerely apologized to the president and the vice president, and they have accepted my apology," Flynn said in his resignation letter.
Earlier it was reported that the White House investigated Flynn’s contacts with Russia because Trump's adviser could have discussed sanctions’ lifting with Russian ambassador as a private person, which is forbidden by American law.
